Thorne and Hatfield Moors

HC Deb 03 December 1997 vol 302 cc226-7W

Caroline Flint

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much of the area of Thorne and Hatfield Moors is currently in the process of being returned to the legal ownership of English Nature; and when this will be completed. [18972]

Angela Eagle

In 1992 Fisons, the predecessor of Levingtons, gave the freehold ownership of 1,175 hectares at Thorne and Hatfield Moors to English Nature. Legal arrangements for the management of the sites for their nature conservation interest were concluded in 1994 and in 1995 this area of land was declared a National Nature Reserve.

Two further areas of 205.7 hectares and 80 hectares were handed back to English Nature in 1996. Legal arrangements for the handback of these two areas is not yet complete.

These areas represent 56 per cent. of the SSSI.